#1000DaysOn Lagos BBOG Family Says #BringBackOurGirls!

On this bittersweet day, The Lagos BBOG family shared their statement below issued yesterday with us. You are invited to #BringBackOurGirlsNYC's Prayer Vigil from 4-6 pm, today, January 8, 2017, at The House of the Lord Church, 415 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn.  See you there.  If you are not in NYC right now, stand in solidarity with us between the hours of 4-6 pm EST. Also encourage your friends to join us. Be on the lookout for our Press Statement. LAGOS, NIGERIA: FOR RELEASE on January 7, 2017 #BringBackOurGirls #Day1000  On Sunday, January 8, 2017, it will be 1,000 days since 276 schoolgirls were abducted from their school in Chibok, Borno State, Nigeria by terrorists in the early hours of April 14, 2014. 57 girls escaped within days of the abduction and 219 were taken into captivity. Since then, 4 girls have been found – September 24, 2014; May 18, 2016; November 5, 2016 & January 5, 2017. 3 of them had infants. The Federal Government with assistance from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Swiss Government successfully negotiated the release of 21 girls on October 13th, 2016. In the two years and nine months since their daughters were snatched away, 19 parents have died. 195 Chibok Girls remain in the hands of terrorists. 279  Abducted    57  Escaped       4  Found         21  Released      4  Infants with our girls    19 Parents dead 195 Still missing! The #BringBackOurGirls Movement, which started in Abuja in April 2014, has spread nationally and internationally with BBOG groups at various times in Osogbo, Ibadan, London, Lagos, New York and Washington DC.  Citizens from every continent show their support for the movement at milestone moments.  The movement has a singularity of purpose, and a specific demand, for the government of Nigeria to ‘Bring back our girls, NOW and ALIVE’. The Chibok Girls, who we know their names and identities, symbolize all Nigerians who have been abducted by terrorists and we demand that the Federal Government fulfil its constitutional responsibility of securing the life of every Nigerian. We are asking that the Federal Government work with other two tiers – local and state governments – to: §  equip the police and see to their welfare §  respond swiftly to and communicate adequately about security incidents §  identify citizens who have gone missing as a result of conflict §  prioritise rescue and preservation of life in security operations §  protect girls and women from societal and sexual abuse §  adequately rehabilitate survivors  §  punish those corruptly diverting food and resources.  The Abuja Family has provided leadership and achieved many successes towards the achievement of those objectives.  In Lagos, the BBOG Families from Falomo and Ejigbo have successfully engaged the Lagos State Executive; State Assembly members; Local Government Chairmen; and Federal Representatives over the past 1,000 days and they have received us cordially.  ü  We have marched to government house with IDPs from Chibok and its environs who fled to Lagos; ü  We have marched to the ECOWAS and United Nations offices in Lagos; ü  We have petitioned the State House of Assembly on the Gender and Equal Opportunity bill for the protection of the rights of girls and women; ü  The Governor’s Office has provided police officers to ensure security at our weekly sit outs;  ü  Our Federal Representatives have addressed us at our meetings in Marina and Falomo; ü  A Senator has received us in her constituency office; ü  Our State and Federal representatives have raised motions in the State and National Assemblies to secure our schools; ü  The Deputy Governor has provided uniformed security for every public school in Lagos State; ü  The Commissioner of Police has called security meetings with all private schools in the state; ü  The Governor responded swiftly and successfully when schoolgirls were abducted in separate incidents in Ikorodu and Epe towns; ü  Lagos State private hospitals provided free medical attention to family members of the Chibok Girls and escaped girls when they were brought to Lagos for medical care.  BBOG members have established NGOs to tackle issues such as support for IDP Camps, advocacy against people trafficking for the purpose of street trading, fundraising for humanitarian support for victims of conflict around the country, amongst others. We have also kept the fate of the missing Chibok Girls at the forefront of people’s minds by putting up placards with their names and photographs around Falomo Roundabout, holding vigils, and conducting a roll call of the missing every 100 days. Painfully, #Day1000 of their tragic abduction is on Sunday, January 8, 2017, an overdue time to bring this horrific saga to an end. The ‘Bring Back Our Girls’ families in Abuja, Lagos, New York & Washington, DC are therefore embarking on a series of activities for a period of one week to compel our Federal Government to accelerate the decision and actions necessary to bring back the rest of our Chibok Girls to their distressed parents and an anxiously waiting nation. Our actions shall also serve to remind Nigerians and the international community about the continued state of insecurity in Nigeria. Signed: For and on behalf of #BringBackOurGirls Lagos Family Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi Aisha Oyebode Ayo Obe Babasola Olalere F.T. Adebayo Habiba Balogun Ngozi Iwere ‘Yemi Adamolekun Yemisi Ransome-Kuti #Day1000 Global Week of Action January 7 – 14, 2017 Saturday, January 7th – Day 999 Lagos: Regular ‘Speak Out Saturday’ at Falomo Roundabout, Ikoyi. 11am – 1pm. Washington, DC: Helon Habila, author of ‘The Chibok Girls: The Boko Haram Kidnappings and Islamist Militancy in Nigeria’, will be in conversation with Emmanuel Ogebe, a Nigerian human rights lawyer and surrogate father to a few of the escaped girls who now live in the U.S. 5015 Connecticut Ave NW, DC 20008. 6pm. Sunday, January 8th – Day 1,000 Abuja: Solidarity March. Unity Fountain. 3pm. New York: Solidarity March begins at Society for Advancement of Judaism (SAJ), 15 West 86th Street, Manhattan at 12:30pm and ends at The House of the Lord Church, 415 Atlantic Avenue, Brooklyn for a vigil from 4- 6 pm. The BBOGNYC Family will be joined by interfaith leaders, including: Dr. Karen S. Daughtry and Dr. Herbert D. Daughtry; elected officials from New York City & State, including: Public Advocate Letitia James, Assemblymember Rodney's Bichotte; The Public Advocate for the City of New York, Letitia James, The Comptroller for the City of New York, Scott Stringer; and Heads of UN Agencies and Working Groups, including Dr. Natalia Kanem, Deputy Executive Director, (Programme) and Assistant Secretary-General, the United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA and Dr. Ahmed Reid, Member of the United Nations Human Rights Council’s Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent. Washington, DC: Solidarity Vigil. Lafayette Park (Near the White House, between H Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW). 3:30 – 4:30pm. Monday, January 9th – Day 1,001 Abuja: Solidarity March focused on Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) - our Chibok Girls are themselves IDPs wherever they may be. The condition of IDPs in the Northeast is a humanitarian tragedy of immense proportion as reported by several agencies. Our Government is not responding with the required urgency. Unity Fountain. 3pm. Tuesday, January 10th – Day 1,002 Abuja: Solidarity March focused on Military Welfare - our Nigerian troops at the frontlines of the counter-insurgency deserve better. Videos have emerged where they have been seen scrambling for basic supplies like water. They allege that many are still ill-equipped and that some do not have arms, ammunition and proper clothing for the harsh weather. Some have been unjustly sentenced to life imprisonment for mutiny/treason for declining to fight without arms. Unity Fountain. 3pm. Wednesday, January 11th – Day 1,003 Abuja: Solidarity March focused on Corruption / Poor Governance - There is corruption and poor governance in all sectors of our society including in the judiciary. The situation of the IDPs and our troops is a manifestation of this cancer. Corruption and poor governance created the enabling context for our girls to be abducted. The same cancer of corruption is a key reason why they remain in captivity 1,000 days after. The recent revelation about the N500million budgeted for the rebuilding of the Government Secondary School, Chibok is further proof of this menace. The only sustainable way to fight corruption is transparency at all levels of government and immediate prosecution of defaulters. Unity Fountain. 3pm. Thursday, January 12th – Day 1,004 Abuja: Solidarity March focused on Endangered Education - Our Chibok Girls were abducted in their school. Education, especially girls’ education, is clearly under attack in Nigeria. We must unite to counter this and ensure that our children are safe and feel safe in school. Unity Fountain. 3pm. Friday, January 13th – Day 1,005 Abuja: Solidarity March focused on Girl-child Vulnerability - Our Chibok Girls represent the horrors of the violence that a girl-child is exposed to, and many times undergoes. Another recent example is that of Habiba Ishiaku, abducted and forcefully "married" at age 14 without her parents' knowledge, and 'converted' to another religion. This was done by the authority of the Emir of Katsina and the Katsina Emirate Council with the full knowledge and support of the Nigerian State. Unity Fountain. 3pm. Saturday, January 14th – Day 1,006 Abuja: Solidarity March focused on Insecurity – In Zamfara, Zaria, Jos, Enugu, Agatu, Southern Kaduna and other places, killings have taken place and continue with no consequences and no end in view. All Nigerian lives matter. No Nigerian is more Nigerian than any other Nigerian. We insist that our Federal Government must take every action necessary to restore dignity to EVERY Nigerian life. Unity Fountain. 3pm. From the book review to the marches, these issues have connections with and are relevant to our Chibok Girls and the #BringBackOurGirls advocacy. What are we demanding? BRING BACK OUR GIRLS NOW AND ALIVE! What do we want?             RESULTS FROM THE RESCUE OPERATION! What are we asking for?    THE TRUTH, AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH! When will we stop?           NOT UNTIL OUR GIRLS ARE BACK, AND ALIVE! When will we stop?           NOT WITHOUT OUR DAUGHTERS! Where are we from?          CHIBOK! Where are we from?          NIGERIA! What are we fighting for?   NIGERIA! THE FIGHT FOR THE CHIBOK GIRLS IS THE FIGHT FOR THE SOUL OF NIGERIA! MR PRESIDENT, NO MORE EXCUSES! MR PRESIDENT, NO MORE DELAYS!! MR PRESIDENT, DECIDE NOW!!! MR PRESIDENT, ACT NOW! WE WANT MORE RESULTS!!!! Habiba Balogun Organisation Effectiveness Consulting www.hbalogunconsult.com